"It's disgusting" that the Biden administration is backing away from Israel at a time when it's at war, including with its communications with Iran warning against attacking U.S. troops in retaliation for Israel's airstrikes in Damascus, Syria, earlier this week, Fred Fleitz, a National Security Council chief of staff under former President Donald Trump, said on Newsmax Saturday.
"The Biden administration communicated to Iran, 'We didn't know about this. We weren't involved. Don't attack our troops in retaliation,'" Fleitz said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America." "When I think this administration couldn't be more incompetent, couldn't sink lower, it does."
Fleitz's comments came in response to a Bloomberg report detailing a written message from Iran warning the United States "not to get dragged into [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's trap," and warning that the U.S. should "step aside so that you don't get hit."
The administration responded by asking Iran "not to hit American targets," according to a message posted on X by Mohammad Jamshidi, the Iranian president's deputy chief of staff for political affairs.
"We should be standing with Israel, not acting like cowards; and that's what this administration is doing," Fleitz said. "Israel took out major terrorist leaders in Damascus. And the fact that the Biden administration won't stand with Israel and is trying to run away to show that we're backing away from the Israelis at a time that they're at war with the Iranians, frankly, I think it's disgusting."
Bloomberg reports that the United States has not commented on the message Iran says it sent. However, the White House has communicated to Iran that it was not aware beforehand that the Damascus strike, killing several Iranian Quds Forces officers, would happen.
Retired U.S. Army Col. Wes Martin, also on Saturday's show, commented that Iran was behind the Hamas seizure of hostages on Oct. 7.
"The intent was to create a situation where Benjamin Netanyahu had to respond, and then the media would come in to work: the left-wing media and the pro-Iranian media," he said.
Israelis are protesting Netanyahu's actions as Hamas still has many of the hostages, and Fleitz said the fallout was "part of Hamas' plan."
"They knew if they held these hostages long enough, there would be protests in Israel," he said. "There would be pressure from the West to stop the war before Israel destroyed Hamas."
But Netanyahu has more than enough support in the Knesset to remain in power, said Fleitz.
"There will be protests," he said. "That's what happens in a democracy."
Meanwhile, when it comes to a potential retaliatory strike from Iran for the Damascus attack, Martin said he believes the action will be done through proxies, rather than a direct hit on Israel.
"Iran is not going to go directly head to head with Israel; because if they do, Israel will go after Iran and they know it," said Martin. "[Iran is] no match for Israel."
Meanwhile, Israel was "fully justified" in its strike, as it took out terrorists who were planning actions against it.
"There will be attacks, but they'll be like assassination attempts," said Martin. "There will be bombing attempts and things like that through proxies and through agents."
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